


Mafia AU Thing

by YouButBetter



Category: Clone High, Original Work
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:27:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28083156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YouButBetter/pseuds/YouButBetter
Summary: Basically this is just a thing I’m doing with mine and someone else’s Clone High oc’s. Umm... if you’re not that person and you find this, okay then.
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

He had spent his entire life at the right side of a gun. Will was an honest man and tried not to use violence when possible. But of the few times a gun’s been brandished while he was on the job, he’s always made sure to be on the right side of it. And of these rare occasions he can say with confidence he remembers everyone he’s ever threatened, every word ever exchanged, and especially the fear in their eyes- or maybe it was the determinism he remembered- either way he was happy to say he’d never taken a life. Regardless, the memories haunted him.

Will was slumped onto a bar stool, his long legs draping over the seat like a waterfall. The bar was almost empty, with the exception of a performer who played the piano, as if he was looking or some resolve, as if it would answer some life long question he’s had. But the piano said nothing. Nor did the bartender, who scrubbed at a glass with an irritated frown on her face. Will was on his second glass of whiskey, searching for the buzz behind his eyes and an answer at the bottom of the glass. But he was yet to find that tipsy feeling that made him grateful, for a second, to be alive. No, that feeling never came. What did however, was a small stranger who climbed onto the stool beside him.

His eyes were a faded green, like the forest during a storm, and Will could remember them so vividly it was frightening. The shock as he pulled the gun, the hesitance as he stepped back. As if that would really help if he decided to shoot. Will never missed. He remembered the moment he decided to let him go, and the fleeting footsteps as he ran. But it was those eyes he would never forget. Though it felt different now, in such a casual place. He was off the job, and he assumed the man beside him was a well. If there was no threat, then why did he feel so nervous?:

Will spared him a glance. He had dark hair and wore relatively nice clothes. If he didn’t know any better he would have thought he was an office worker coming in to cool down after a day at work. But he knew better, he knew it would never be that simple. Maybe he was staring for longer than he meant to, because far before he was ready dull green eyes met his own. And damn, it caught him off guard.

The blonde looked away, lowering his gaze to his glass as he tried to collect his thoughts. It wasn’t fair. It really wasn’t. This man had no business being so attractive. He had no business sucking the air from his lungs in such a way. He couldn’t determine if this feeling was good or bad, but if it was anyone else he’d pursue it. He’d try and chat him up, buy him a drink, maybe things could be normal. But for all intents and purposes, he should have wanted him dead.

Beside him, the man cleared his throat, anxiety evident in his speech, pale hands clasping in front of him on the counter, “ Um, Hi. Do I know you?” He asked, causing panic to surge through the blonde as he tried to come up with an answer, some excuse.

“ No,” Will’s tone was flat and uninterested, he knocked back the rest of his whiskey and began to undo his tie. Suddenly it felt too tight against his neck, like he couldn’t breath. Blue eyes shifted to look down at the male beside him, “ Do you want to?” 

Beside him, green eyes seemed to take his offer into consideration, the stiffness- anxiety never left him, not even when he smiled, “ I don’t see anyone else to talk to. So why not?” Then the brunette raised a hand, almost lowering it in uncertainty when the bartender hesitated to walk over. “ So what’s your name?” 

The blonde cleared his throat, on the outside he was calm and composed. He was well dressed, his tie still hanging down from his neck. He looked like a businessman, there was no reason he couldn’t lie, no reason to believe the man beside him wouldn’t do the same, “ It’s Wilbur. But, I guess you can call me Will.” 

“ Will,” The male beside him tasted the words on his lips, smiling when the bartender placed a drink in front of him, and Will couldn’t help but notice it wasn’t alcohol, “ Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Tolkien. John Tolkien. But, no one calls me John.” The man hummed as he took a sip from his cup. He still seemed tense, on edge. But at least Will had a name for those eyes.

“ Tolkien, Is that German?” Will asked, looking back down at his glass. It was empty, but now that he had company he was considering stopping there for the night. After all, he wouldn’t want Tolkien to think he was some slob. Though, he wasn’t exactly sure why it mattered anymore.

“ Oh... I um, I don’t know.” Tolkien confessed, though there was something in his voice that made the blonde think that was a lie. In fact, he already knew a lot about the man beside him. For one, he was shy. He was probably afraid of dominating the conversation, or maybe he was nervous because it was directed towards him, “ Is Wright?” 

Or maybe, Tolkien wasn’t as unsuspecting as he had originally thought. Will looked up quickly, showing far more alarm than he cared to admit, the surprise evident in his wide eyes, “ What?” He asked, voiced deep and breathless.

“ You work for Ford right?” There was something so startling about having the rug ripped out from under you. Suddenly his advantage was gone.

“ And you work for Rod.” Will said, deciding to show his hand as well, if there was going to be a fight, or anything of importance, he decided it was best not to lose. After all, it was his carelessness that got him into this mess, “ You’re a little far from your section, you know I can shoot you for doing deals around here.” He said.

“ Are you going to?” Tolkien asked, uncertainty in his voice, he turned up his pockets, pulling back his coat to give him a clear view of his waist, “ I don’t have a gun, nor am I here to do business.” It was a silent plea, one Will easily fell victim to. After all, he trusted him when he said he had no gun. And maybe that really was foolish on his part. But there was just something about his eyes that made him weak.

“ No.” Will said, his voice still a deep rumble in his chest as he raised a hand to the bartender, and before he could say anything there was another drink in his hand, “ I’m not on the job either. Even if I was, I don’t usually carry a gun with me into the bar.” He said.

The silence was tense after that, as if neither party could decide what they should do now. The anxious tension only grew as Tolkien began shifting his fingers cross the cool glass in front of him. Will tapped his foot, his dress shoes causing a slight echo throughout the empty bar. “ By the way, I know that’s not alcohol.” The blonde finally cracked.

“ What? Really?” Tolkien asked, eyes going wide as he looked up at Will before looking down to examine his glass, as if he really couldn’t believe that the other male knew the difference between straight Coca Cola and alcohol.

“ Yeah. Why are you even here if you didn’t plan on drinking?” Will asked, he didn’t plan on coming off as rude, though his blunt attitude certainly had that effect. He watched color flood to the other’s face, a perfect physical representation of his embarrassment. Did he really think he wouldn’t notice?

“ To be perfectly honest, I don’t drink. But I saw you through the window and... well, I couldn’t help myself. It’s a little sad for a grown man to be sitting by himself on a Friday night don’t you think?” Tolkien said, his hands still fidgeting in front of him, the glass of coke shifting in his hands, face still warm from embarrassment. Though that didn’t satisfy Will’s curiosity. What was Tolkien doing alone on a Friday night? On Ford’s territory nonetheless. Though he has settled on possibly never knowing that answer.

“ Well, even hit men need a night off.” Will hummed, looking around the bar. The performer was long gone, having grabbed his coat before walking into a back room, mumbling something about finding a real gig. The bartender was in the other side of the long counter, typing away on her phone, probably no longer even aware that there were others in her establishment. Blue eyes returned to Tolkien as he added, “ You’d probably know.”

“ Yeah, in fact, I probably prefer my time off.” The male shyly admitted, finishing his glass of ‘alcohol’ before he slid it further towards the other side of the bar, making it easier for the bartender to reach later. “ Don’t tell anyone I told you this, but I don’t... I don’t really like my job.” He admitted.

Will played with that idea in his head, rolling it between his hands as if it was such an odd new concept. Finally, he decided there was no harm in being honest, “ I can’t say it’s enjoyable. Especially when you’re so high up.” He said, earning a hum from Tolkien.

“ I can imagine.” Then the silence was back again. But it wasn’t tense anymore. It was warm, and it made butterflies shutter in Will’s stomach. He looked at Tolkien, once again taking in his appearance, the thin wisp of a mustache above his lip, his rather large nose and the way a permanent look of anxiety had settled over him. Will sighed, life really wasn’t fair was it.

“ You said it was sad,” Will started, his flat voice coming off as uncertain, as if his brain hadn’t finished cooking up its thought yet, so now he was left with a half baked sentence, “ Spending Friday nights alone.”

“ Well,” Tolkien had that same hesitance, “ Isn’t it? Don’t you have friends? A family?” 

“ Don’t you?” Will asked, and maybe it was a little too direct for the light jab he had been dealt, but the male beside him didn’t seem to register it. In fact, he wouldn’t have considered his words at all of it wasn’t for the slight look of confusion on the brunette’s face.

“ I hardly see why it matters.” Tolkien took the defense, causing their conversation to stutter to a halt. Will racked his brain for a chance to make it better, after all, this was the longest conversation he’d had in a while. The longest conversation that wasn’t about crime that is. He was desperate to make it last a little longer.

“ If you’re here with me, you’re not alone.” Will said, and maybe it came off a bit more... well, it sounded like he was hitting on him. But he simply wasn’t that capable. You’d know if he was hitting on you by the way, he would be flustered, and nothing short of awful at it. 

“ What?” A familiar shade of red dusted the brunette’s cheeks.

“ I just mean... well, I’m always here. If you need someone to spend your evening with. After all, you said it yourself, it’s sad for a grown man to spend his time alone.” Will said, and maybe he was grasping. Maybe he was a little too hopeful that he’d accept his offer, a little too hopeful that one day he’d come back to this bar and find Tolkien already there. A little too hopeful for someone else in his life that he’d push it onto a stranger.

Suddenly his phone rang, a frown on his face as he fished it from his pocket, answering it as casually as possible. The whole conversation was quiet on Will’s end, a frown on his face as he hung up, quickly standing to take his leave, pulling the attention of the bartender over as she stood to get him his tab. “ Sorry I have to cut this short. Work stuff.” He explained, knowing he probably understood the struggle better than anyone else. After all, this was probably the most normal outing he’d ever have with someone even remotely close to his line of work.

“ Well... Next Friday then?” Tolkien asked after a minute, watching the lanky man gather his coat, pulling it over his long arms before grabbing a pleated grey flat cap from the barstool beside him. He looked over at the blonde, blue eyes widened in surprise. He almost didn’t notice the bill slide over the counter. 

Will pulled out a few bills, sliding them over to her. The bartender looked over the money before giving him an odd look. He said nothing as he motioned over to Tolkien. There was a silent agreement between them before he turned and finally addressed the shorter of the two, “ We’ll just have to see won’t we? Goodnight.” And with that he was gone, the only evidence he was ever there being the empty glass of whiskey and a crooked barstool. 

The brunette sighed as he stood up wiping his sweaty hands on the outside of his coat, timidly asking the woman for his own bill. It wouldn’t be too bad, after all, he only really had a coke. The woman shook her head and said, “ No need. Your friend there handled it.” What a weird world they lived in.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is angst bc I’m a criminal. Part three will be more of a continuation as well, lol.

Will had never seen the other side before. Of a gun, that is. But now that he sat on the floor, air having been knocked from his lungs, long, slender hands scrambling for a weapon of his own- he realized he didn’t like it much. Well, that was scary, and for a moment he considered how ironic it was that he was the one on the wrong side of a gun, and Tolkien the one on the right. 

“ What are you doing?” Will asked, his deep voice rumbling in his chest, giving an air of confidence he didn’t feel. It was impossible to feel confident after leaning in to grab your dates hand, only to be swept off your feet, coming face to face with the barrel of a gun.

“ I’m sorry.” Tolkien said, his voice trembling, not unlike the gun in his hands. “ I have to.”

“ Wh-What?” The blonde’s voice finally caught as he looked into his eyes, those beautiful pale green eyes, searching for some explanation. He didn’t understand what was happening, WHY it was happening. They were outside their normal meet up. The only difference being that tonight Will insisted on taking him on a ‘real’ date, and Tolkien had brought a gun.

“ You don’t get it, Will.” Tolkien said, though the uncertainty on his face proved that maybe the shorter of the two didn’t quite get it either, it was some odd concept that neither of them seemed to grasp,“ Rod, he just-”

“ What does Rod have to do with this?” The blonde interrupted him, though after the words came out it all seemed to click. Well, some parts did. He had never had a gun during their meetings before because he wasn’t on the job then. But he was now, and Will was caught up in it. The blonde looked around, they were in an alleyway, a dumpster obscuring the view from the street. A blinking streetlight offered little light, casting an sickly glow on his tanned skin. If he shouted he was sure the bartender could hear him from within the bar, but even if he did there wasn’t much she could do.

“ St-Stop! Don’t move!” Tolkien said quickly as Will began to stand, even if he didn’t want to fight, he knew his best chance was having a weapon- was having the upper hand. “ Rod he... He wants you, y’know. He thinks if I... If I kill you then Ford would give up.” He admitted, though it didn’t sound so sinister coming from the small man. If anything, his anxiety made things worse. Like any sudden movement could set him off. Like any sudden movement would cost Will his life.

“ And are you going to do it?” Will asked calmly, his heart hammering in his chest, this didn’t feel right. Had this all been a game? The months he’d spent meeting him at the bar. The nights they talked until dawn, talked about their lives and their grievances. The kiss they had the week before and the dopey smiles shared afterwards. Was all of that a lie? 

“ I... I don’t want to. Will, you have to understand.” Tolkien’s hand still shook, and as much as he seemed conflicted, as scared as the shorter male seemed, Will didn’t care. He couldn’t find it in himself to consider that any of this was real. That his life was of any importance. That Tolkien had ever cared at all. Because if he really cared there wouldn’t be a gun pointed at his head.

“ Understand what? That you’ve been lying to me? Did you know you’d have to kill me that night you approached me in the bar?” Will asked, slowly standing up, knowing that if anything happened it was nothing he couldn’t suffer through. The surprise was gone, he was a man with a mission now, and that was to simply survive.

“ Yes,” Tolkien lowered the gun, a silent plea in his voice as he said, “ W-Wait, no! Please. You have to believe me-”

“ Why should I? This whole thing was a ruse wasn’t it?” Will asked, his blue eyes hardening as he looked down at him. He was embarrassed. Embarrassed that someone as important, as high up as he was, had let his guard down. That he’d let himself get so worked up over someone who would inevitably hurt him. After all, that was just the business.

“ Well, Yes.” The brunette sheepishly admitted, lowering the gun further, his finger no longer on the trigger. He just seemed upset, conflicted in a way. But Will wasn’t falling for it again. He picked his cap up off the ground in front of him, dusting his jacket off. It was about confidence. And he was confident he had called his bluff. He couldn’t shoot. If Will had learned anything from his time with him (if that MEANT anything) is that he’d never be able to shoot. “ But-”

“ But what? You’ll get a promotion if you do? You’ll stop being a disposable pawn? Is that what you want?” Will asked, there was no malice behind his words. It was a genuine question. If he knew anything about Tolkien, it was that he didn’t want this. He didn’t want violence, he wanted a normal life. It was something they had in common.

“ Wilbur, please! You know I don’t want to do this.” 

“ And you won’t.” Will said, adjusting his cap and giving him a cold look, “ Goodnight Tolkien. It’d be in your best interest to go home before I tell Ford you’ve been sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.” It pained him to say something like that. To kick him to the curb like that, as if it was nothing. But apparently, to Tolkien, it had been nothing. He refused to let him know how much it hurt.

“ Wh-What?” Tolkien asked, lowering the gun for good. His bluff was called after all. He knew he wouldn’t shoot, so there was no need to pretend like he would. “ Will, please. Believe me. I meant what I said last week, I meant it when I said I... I care about you.” the brunette’s voice trembled as he dropped the gun, almost in surrender. 

Will watched the gun fall. He calculated his movements very carefully, stepping forward until he was only a few inches from Tolkien. He looked down, searching his wonderful green eyes for anything. And of course it all showed. Will could read Tolkien like a book, but it had never pained him as much to do so until now. He bent down and grabbed the gun before repeating, “Goodnight John.” 

And with that he walked off, leaving Tolkien in the alley alone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I THOUGHT this would wrap it up but now I have free time and I’m invested? Okay I guess.

Being a lackey wasn’t a hard job. Orville worked decent hours and found himself in stable condition. He didn’t worry too much about life, he had never had to. His older brother always did the heavy lifting, and the youngest of the two was always around for the ride.

Only now, there was no one there, no one to do the heavy lifting. No one to run their shit show lives. No one to wake him up in the morning or make things better. As of Friday night Wilbur Wright was missing. And now that it was Monday, the blonde had a few ideas, and being the genius boy-detective he was, twenty two year old Orville Wright would definitely crack the case.

First, he checked with Ford, who was sitting in his office doing paperwork. Had he not already known what kind of sketchy deals were being done here, he would have thought of his boss as a typical metropolitan boss-man. He wore nice clothes and had a professional air about him. That is until you poke anything he’s sensitive about. Then, well, all hell breaks loose.

“ Henry! My man, are you busy?” Orville called, gripping to the doorframe as he came barreling around the turn, stopping himself mid swing with a grin that radiated mischief.

“ I was until you showed up. Where’s Wilbur? He’s not usually late.” Ford asked, sighing as he tossed his pen to the other side of the desk, arms folding over his chest as he slouched in his chair, looking over to his subordinate with an unhappy frown.

“ I actually came to ask you about that!” Orville nodded, stepping fully into the room and slouching on the arm of the couch, crossing his arms in the same way Ford was, trying to mimic his serious frown and the tired look in his eyes.

Ford dragged his fingers through his chestnut brown hair, rolling his eyes as he watched him. There was a reason that Will was his right hand man and not Orville, and the word of the day is competency, “ I haven’t seen him since... well, Friday actually. He has those off though. He insists I don’t bother him on those days.”

“ Oh right, because he wants to see his boyfriend.” Orville nodded, as if that was very obvious. Though he only knew this information through Fran, his latest fling and the witness of many Friday night disasters at her bar. 

“ Well if he has a boyfriend then why are you bothering ME about it? Go find him. I’m not his keeper.” Ford said with a sour frown, as if it was common sense. And really, it was, Orville was just... well, he wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box.

“ But I’m on duty, I can go after-” Orville started but he was cut off by Ford, who looked like he had struck gold with the next words that came out of his mouth. “ Fine, Fine, I’ll send you out to find him as an order, okay? Don’t come back unless he’s with you, got it?”

The blonde nodded, all of his worries dissipating before him. Awesome! He was about to get paid for something he planned on doing anyway. With a dedicated nod the boy said, “ I won’t let you down sir! I’ll be back later!” And with that he marched out of the office, to the next scene of his investigation!  
—  
The Red Cross was dinky little bar on the bad side of town. Desperate performers went there for some quick cash, but other than that and a quick drink it wasn’t good for much. Orville visited there occasionally, but only to visit the barkeep Fran, who he may or may not have been sleeping with. Regardless he walked up to the empty bar, pulling out the rusted red stool to sit, “ I’ll have the usual!” He told Fran with a grin.

The barkeep didn’t look up from her magazine. She hummed and said, “ I don’t think that’s appropriate. I’m working right now.” She was teasing when she said this, putting her magazine down when she finished the page, grabbing a beer and passing it to Orville, “ So what brings you here during work hours?”

“ While I would love to say it’s because I can’t stop thinking about a lovely lady,” Orville winked with a grin before saying, “ Sadly it’s official business. My brother’s been missing a few days. I was told to find him, and well, you said he’s always here on Fridays.” The blonde said, yeah, maybe now wasn’t the time to be smooth, but he was certainly doing his best with what he was being given. It was hard to work and hit on your girlfriend at the same time.

“ Actually, He didn’t come into the bar Friday.” The brunette said with a nod, leaning against the counter, arms folded and holding her body up as she looked across the bar, “ He met his friend outside and they left from there.” 

“ He met someone? What do you know about that guy? It was the guy he’s been seeing?” Orville asked, tilting his head as he looked down at the dark wood of the counter. He glanced back up as she hummed.

“ Yeah. He always meets the same small guy. The guy always wears green, he definitely doesn’t work for Ford.” Fran said, she was wondering if she should share this next part. As requested from Will she was keeping the big details secret, but if he was missing maybe it would be best to tell him, “ He works for Rod.”

“ Rod? Why would Will be hanging out with someone like that?” Orville demanded, hands slamming onto the dark wood he had been staring at moments prior. He couldn’t believe it! Was his brother a rat? Or was it possible his brother was playing a rat? It didn’t matter, either way, if he didn’t know about it, it must have been wrong.

“ They’re dating I think, some weird tension at least. Who knows, but if he’s missing it probably has something to do with him.” Fran said with a nod, she had to connect the dots for Orville before he went jumping at whatever his mind was most content with, “ That means you should probably try and track the tiny guy down. He might know where your brother is.” Fran suggested.

Orville nodded, it was less enthusiastic now, more thoughtful as he said, “ He better hope he does, because if he doesn’t I’m about to make his world hell.” There was a moment of thick silence that followed before he sheepishly added, “ This is nonalcoholic, isn’t it?” 

“ Yup!”  
—

Orville was about to do something very stupid. If there was ever to be a list of all the stupid things he’s ever done, this would certainly be somewhere at the top, because as previously mentioned- it was stupid. Orville Wright, the man of the hour, walked right into Rod’s territory and started a fight.

That coincidentally got him exactly where he needed to be. All beat up and in a warehouse where he waited for the boss to show up. But Orville wasn’t there for the boss, he was looking for a certain small man. He glanced around, recognizing most of the people. Ford and Rod had always been big time rivals, so fights between them were common. And while he wouldn’t say he had any bad blood with anyone in the room, he could say with confidence he had punched two or three of them in the face.

“ Hey,” there was a whisper from behind Orville. The blonde did his best to turn his head but it was no use being tied up like this. Behind him was actually his target, not that he knew that. He couldn’t exactly see the stature of the man behind him. “ Are you Orville?”

“ How’d you know my name?” The blonde asked, he turned his head to try and get a look but it was useless. He then remembered he needed to be more stubborn with information,“ I mean, no.”

“ What are you doing here?” The man asked, he was pretending to take guard in order to talk to him. But it wasn’t really going well seeing as the man behind Orville sounded anxious. He probably looked like a mess too.

“ I’m looking for an acquaintance. He was last seen with one of Rod’s men. He’s been missing for a few days.” Orville said, there was something trustworthy in the way the man’s voice trembled with anxiety. The blonde knew he probably couldn’t aim a gun well enough to shoot him if he did manage to escape.

“ Wilbur?” Gotcha, Orville immediately knew that this was his guy, “ He’s missing?” For someone who was responsible for his disappearance, this guy sure did sound shocked.

“ Yeah, and I suggest you give him back before I get Ford involved.” Orville said, sounding all cocky and confident. It was how he felt, especially after he ‘cracked’ the case wide open. “ You were the last person to see him, Fran told me. She said you two left from the bar Friday night.” 

“ W-Well, yeah... We did.” The way he spoke made is sound like there was more to the story, “ But that’s news to me. I don’t have him, and even if I did he wouldn’t be here.” 

“ Bullshit! Give him back now!” Orville snapped, perhaps not the best way to go about confronting someone, but he was desperate. He wasn’t built for interrogation and Ford would be very upset with him if he didn’t find Will, “ You’re a rat aren’t you? I know all about your meet ups with my brother! It was all a ruse wasn’t it!” 

The male was silent, you could hear his weapon shaking in his hands. And while Orville wholeheartedly thought this guy was no good, he had a hard time believing this man was capable of hurting anyone. “ Yes. It was. But I don’t have him. You have to believe me, I CARED about your brother. I pulled a gun on him Friday, but I haven’t seen him since. If I knew where he was I would tell you.” 

Orville was quiet for once in his life, he wasn’t expecting it, but he may have had better investigation skills than he thought, “ Help me find him.” He said finally.

“ What?” The male asked, shifting to the blonde’s left. Orville turned his gaze over to him, finally able to get a look at him. He wasn’t expecting this to be his brother’s secret lover. The man was short and awkward, he looked like hell too. Clearly distressed and low on sleep.

“ If you really cared about him you’d help me find him.” Orville’s voice was soft, he wanted him to THINK that Orville was on his side, and then BAM. He’d be set free! He wasn’t expecting the genuine fear in Tolkien’s eyes, his uneasy shifting as he considered it. He looked genuinely upset and the blonde didn’t understand why.

“ Okay. I’ll help you.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think this will be the last installment of this little arch, lol. Any other attachments will probably be for other characters. Who knows?

A safe-space was something Will had never thought to have until he met Ford. One day his boss pulled him aside and told him if shit hit the fan he needed to have a place to go, somewhere where he could just wind down and cool off. Somewhere not even his brother knew of.

Somewhere like the dock. And while he was sure Ford meant buy a literal safe house, Will was quite happy with the small sandy area by the lake. He was happy that it cost him nothing to enjoy it. He was happy that it was untainted by crime and most importantly untainted by Tolkien- who had tainted the rest of his life with a sickening green. How could he let this happen? Will had always been so careful when it came to people, when if came to keeping a wall between himself and others.

He thought Tolkien understood him, he thought maybe he was different. But he wasn’t any different, and that’s why it hurt more when he inevitably hurt him. The blonde picked up a stone, tossing it across the glass water. He watched it bounce three times before sinking. The sinking feeling was oddly familiar in that moment.   
He ignored the sounds of a car drive by, someone was just passing through, surely. Occasionally a car would pass, but in the few days he had sat out here, slept out here on this doc, he was never once bothered. But the car pulled over and stopped. Still he didn’t look. Best not to draw attention to himself, this was how this whole mess started.

Will thought he was so cool, flirting with some guy he had no business even talking to. Watching his eyes light up when he laughed or watching him fidget with his cup when he was anxious. The way his eyes dimmed when he was tired or the nervous way he smiled when they first started talking. It was all so wonderful, of course he had fallen head over heels for it. He drowned in it. The same way the rocks he had been throwing downed in the lake. 

He heard the footsteps before he registered them. First it was the crunch of rubble and grass. Then it was the the tapping to dress shoes on wood. It came to a stop behind him, and the blonde still didn’t turn to look.

“ Its been days.” Tolkien’s voice was soft and unwelcomed. Wilbur wasn’t ready to fully address it.

“ That was the point.” 

“ People were worried.” Tolkien said. There was shuffling as he moved to sit, his short legs not exactly reaching the end of the dock, so he just put them out and looked over the still water. All of the ripples gone as the sun set over the lake.

“ You didn’t seem real worried when you pulled the gun.” Will wasn’t going to beat around the bush, he was blunt when he said it, “ It doesn’t matter what you say, you’re just a pawn. We both are.” 

“ Then why are you any better?” Tolkien asked, Will could hear the scratching of his nails against wood, it was probably his fingers twitching in that anxious way they always did. He resisted the urge to reach out and take his hand to stop him from doing it.

“ Because I’d never pull a gun on you.” Will said, giving him a dirty look. The first time he dared turn his head to him. He didn’t think he was ready to see him, he didn’t expect that it’d hurt him so badly when he finally did. Tolkien looked just as bad as he felt. His clothes were shriveled and he was obviously losing sleep.

“ You don’t know that-“

“ But I do.” Will interrupted him, “ I do. I’m looking down from this summit you’re trying to climb. What do you want? To be Rod’s right hand man? You want to be at the top, but the truth is you’ll always be at the bottom. There’s always something bigger than you.” He said.

Tolkien shook his head, “ No, that’s not true! You don’t know what it’s like to be at the bottom-”

“ I do.” Will said, “ I thought after all this time you’d understand that. I’m at the bottom. Ford is at the bottom. The people controlling him are also being controlled. No matter how high up you go, there are people above you. But I don’t care. I thought I had someone that loved me, I was okay with where I am because I thought I had someone who... got me. That’s why I KNOW I’d never pull a gun on you.” 

“ Wilbur...” Tolkien trailed off with a frown, his gaze trailing down to his hands. He frowned, really seeming to consider it. Will could tell, that was his thinking face. He knew so much about him, it felt like a waste now, “ I’m sorry. I really am.” He said.  
“ I think I love you.” Will said honestly, “ I think what we had is one of the first things to make me happy in a long time.” He admitted to him, his blue eyes turning back to look at the lake, scowling down at his reflection.

Tolkien sighed, “ I know.” The silence was unbearable. But there was an unspoken agreement. Tolkien knew because he felt it too. “ You already know Rod was the one to send me in there. He wanted me to talk to you.”

“ I know.” Will parroted, “ I figured it had to have been premeditated. You don’t seem like the type to tell on yourself.” He said, tone softening a bit as he rubbed the fabric of his pants. It was a nervous habit and it eased his anger a bit. Being around Tolkien eased his anger. He found it hard to b mead at him.

“ I wanted to see you! Most of our meetings were off the books anyway. I just wanted to see you.” Tolkien admitted with a sigh. He would have been all blushy and embarrassed had it not been for the tense situation he was in. “ Everything was real! Those conversations were real. When we... y’know... kissed...t-that was real too!” 

“ That date was supposed to be real too.” Will said, leaning back and sighing as he said, “ I want to be with you. You make me feel... less stressed.” He said softly, “ But you can’t just pull a gun on me when Rod tells you to.”

Tolkien was quiet for a while before he said, “ I agree... which is why I think we should run.” He said, looking down at the water. He couldn’t see his reflection since he wasn’t over the water, but he could see the sun as it sat over the trees. And he saw the dragonflies dance across a glass reflection. 

“ Run?” Will asked, turning to look at him. He seemed genuine for the first time in their conversation. He was at a loss for words. Did he mean it? That was a pretty serious thing to consider.

“ Well yeah... since we can’t guarantee that we won’t have to... y’know, kill each other one day.” Tolkien shrugged, he wasn’t able to maintain eye contact for too long, he got nervous and looked away. It didn’t matter, Will knew he was serious.

“ John-”

“ J-Just consider it.” Tolkien started, getting nervous that he was about to be shot down, “ We won’t be able to hide forever, but at least we could be together! No ulterior motives or crime, just us-”

“ John-”

The brunette interrupted again, ever one to worry, “ Really consider it, Wilbur! I’m serious.”

The blonde grabbed his hands, finally stopping the nervous scratching. Finally making the dock still. “ I have. And I want to. Of course I want to run away with you.” He says. The stillness lasted for what felt like a lifetime before Will finally leaned down and closed the distance between them. It had felt like an eternity since they last kissed, and this time it was real. 

Who knew it would take getting a gun pulled on him by his boyfriend for Will to realize organized crime wasn’t exactly the life for him?


End file.
